The Boy From The Bridge - Jakehoon

Chapter 23: Being Bold 4/6

Sunghoon couldn't help himself but grin to himself. A smile was plastered over his face as he thought about his budding relationship with 'Jaeyun'. 

"What are you smiling about?" The ever observant Gi asked. Sunghoon was accompanying her shopping. While he lacked any real disposable income himself he used his time with her as an opportunity to speak freely with someone older than him, he would often find himself lead to all manner of women's sections in the pursuit of idle conversation. 

"Um, nothing" - Sunghoon lied, he scarcely had the conviction to talk to himself about 'Jaeyun' let alone someone else, even someone he trusted as much as Gi.

"Sure - then why are you over there smiling like an idiot?" Gi pulled herself back from a display of lipsticks and turned herself to Sunghoon.

The accusation made Sunghoon's smile grow, "Um, just stuff"

"What do you mean by 'just stuff'?" Gi eyed him closely. When that question failed to elicit a response, her face displayed an expression of realisation - she opted to change her line of questioning, "Okay - who's 'just stuff?"

This made Sunghoon laugh and blush in equal measure. "I don't want to say"

"Ah! So it is a girl! Is this the one from biology?"

"It's not her" Sunghoon admitted to her. He looked away in an effort to hide the secrets he feared his eyes might reveal. Regaining his composure he returned to face Gi.

"So?" Gi pressed.

"I'm not saying!"

"Okay... well, tell me about her then? What's she like?"

Sunghoon couldn't resist waxing lyrical about 'Jaeyun' however he also did not wish to reveal that he was scrutinising his sexuality. "She... she's perfect - I guess. She pushes me to push myself, to learn new things and she makes me feel useful - like, that I can teach her new things. So we support one another to grow"

"Aww, Hoonie! When do I get to meet her?"

Sunghoon groaned and went to avert eye contact again. Focussing his attention on some track lighting that was above them, "I dunno - at some point maybe."

"Well I look forward to it, but now I have to ask, does she know you like her?"

Sunghoon gave her a long pause for a response as he considered the question. Did 'Jaeyun' know that he liked him? Sunghoon considered this, the truth was he didn't know. He knew he was liked by 'Jaeyun' but in what way?  Eventually, when Gi had returned to perusing the lipstick he answered, "I'm not sure."

This time when Sunghoon spoke Gi didn't turn her head, "Well, have you given her any signs?"

"I think so. I also think that she's given me signs?"

"But have you properly returned the favour? You can't leave it to just one of you to make the moves. You have to be audacious and decisive to win a girl's heart?"

"Audacious and decisive?"

"Bold! So she knows beyond any doubt that you actually like her, otherwise you spend all your time living in a fantasy relationship until those feelings dissipate as they never progress"

"So, I need to be bold?"

"Yes. Do you reckon you can you do that?"

"I'm, I'm not sure... I don't know if I have ever being bold before"

Gi got up a second time, she reached forward with a hand to hold him by his chin. She was inspecting him. "Hoonie - I've known you since before you could walk, when you would cry at bed time stories"